Perspective Changes
by ahundreddoves
Summary: The old can still teach new tricks - Reyna learns this first hand. What the heck guys, I don't care if this is crappy or whatever. No flames please. Ships inside: Reyna/Jason, Piper/Leo, Percy/Annabeth
1. Chapter 1

"Everything looks the same."

She turned around so fast her robes stirred clouds of dust airborne. "Jason!"

"It's been really long, Reyna," he replied, leaning against the doorframe of her praetor house. She gulped and pulled her cape around herself in hopes of masking her heart's seemingly visible, frantic beating right through her chest.

"… Yes." Tongue tied. He had her tongue tied. Because he was right - it had been eight months since the last time he set foot in her house. Eight never ending months. In spite of her collectedness there were nights when Reyna had cried herself to sleep, not just because of they could have been, but also for what he meant to Camp Jupiter. A saviour. She had seen his firm leadership as praetor, his patient rebuilding of the Fifth Cohort which crumbled dispiritedly when he left. Jason was the camp's anchor… and he had been her anchor too.

Was he still?

Jason was watching her quietly. "Why don't you say something?"

"What do you want me to say?" Her words were surprisingly bitter.

"I don't know."

He was nervous. She was nervous. Reyna wondered if he was trying to phrase "I love Piper McLean" in the nicest way possible and contemplated putting him out of his misery by stating it first. She was a Roman; she should fight to win her prize. But something held her back from claiming it. She had no fallback if she spoke - Percy was officially off-limits - but she was too tired to care.

"The McLean girl -"

"Piper -"

They'd simultaneously rushed into speech. The awkwardness was stifling. Reyna continued, choosing her words carefully.

"Piper… she's very special to you, isn't she?"

She imagined his mouth turning dry as he swallowed, Adam's apple bobbing. "She's like a sister to me."

"No more than that?" She traced patterns on the windowsill next to her. "Somehow, Jason, I find this hard to believe."

"Listen Reyna, it's not what you think it is."

"Then what is it?"

She watched his feet move towards her. When he took her hand she tried to pull away, shaking her head, but she made the mistake of looking into his face. His blue eyes were so kind.

"I've missed you, Rey," he said simply.

She wished she could release her breath in a long, shaking sigh, but she had to keep it in. No feelings could be shown, not yet. "What about Piper?"

"Piper…" Jason mused. "Well… we were never together. You see, Juno had put some Mist over them before I came on the scene, and she thought…"

"I know, but what about now? This must be breaking her heart, Jason. She thinks we were together too." What was she saying? Since when did she care?

"Weren't we?"

She crumbled at that. "I don't know," she whispered brokenly.

There was silence before he leaned in gently. The kiss was a careful, trembling one, but still their first, and though this should have been a special moment it felt so wrong.

Reyna drew away quietly. "Jason, we shouldn't be doing this."

"Why not?" He sounded crushed.

"Because things have changed! Whatever happened between us is history compared to the past eight months you spent with Piper. This isn't fair to her!"

"Reyna, nothing happened between Piper and me."

"How do you know she doesn't think so?"

"Because she told me."

Reyna shook her head. "A daughter of Aphrodite telling you that? I don't think she meant it."

"But…"

"I'm sorry, Jason."

Reyna wasn't one to lounge about moping, not even when Jason had disappeared. Grief made her more efficient - it helped her forget. But today she sat dumbly in the forum, watching couples laugh and play with their kids. Normally they'd bow and then scram the moment they saw her, but she'd changed into shorts and a t-shirt and tied up her hair so no one could recognize her until they looked her in the face. Even then she wondered if they'd realize if they were looking at Camp Jupiter's praetor - she didn't wear her usual look of no-nonsense determination, just an empty listlessness.

_You're only allowed one hour for moping_, she warned herself. _After that you're back to normal._

"Um, hello."

Reyna turned and found another girl resting her hand on the park bench's arm. She had choppy brown hair and kaleidoscope eyes, and her face held a troubled look.

"Piper." Reyna rose.

Piper winced. "Listen, Reyna - can we - can we talk?"

"If there's anything to talk about." Reyna sat again and indicated the spot next to her. Piper sat gingerly.

"I don't know how to begin this."

"That Jason Grace is not your boyfriend?"

Piper looked up from her lap, startled. Her eyes were wide, catching the light and glimmering in different colours. "Reyna… how did you know?"

"I guessed."

"You do believe me, don't you? He's not my boyfriend."

Reyna looked straight at Piper. "I don't think I believe you."

Piper seemed to wilt. "I'm sorry for everything, Reyna. Believe me, there are times when I've hated the way I could see possibilities as reality. For the longest time - the Mist helped too - I've been sure that Jason was… mine. But then his memories started coming back… I guess I knew my dreams weren't meant to last. And I started realizing that…"

As Reyna watched Piper blushed in the direction of the_ Argo II_.

"… I started realizing that maybe I could be with someone else who really did feel the same way I did. No Mist trying to fool us or anything."

"I see," Reyna said slowly.

She didn't know how to explain her feelings towards Piper - how she sensed her fragility and had the strange need to protect her. To care for someone wasn't very much in Reyna's nature, but Piper was so like Reyna herself before she had found Lupa - strong-willed and powerful, but unsure of how to use those powers. She could relate. And somehow, Reyna's sudden, fierce, and seemingly uncalled-for compassion extended to giving up Jason.

On the impulse, she clutched Piper's hand. "I like you very much, Piper McLean," she said fervently. "I hope we can be sisters."

"You should hate me," Piper said bitterly.

"But I don't. Thank you, Piper, for everything."

Thanking a girl for giving back her boyfriend? _Very_ unRoman. The most given should be a frosty smile and nod. And yet… who knew? Perhaps the Greeks weren't all that bad after all. This daughter of Aphrodite had realized Jason was not hers even before she began to like someone else - Reyna doubted any Roman would give up a prize like that.

They conversed carefully and tried to keep their smiles scarce, but before long peals of laughter could be heard as the hour passed.

Finally Reyna's first girl time in years was interrupted by an out-of-breath Percy. "Reyna!" He called as he strode across the park. Families began to bow and retreat. "I've been looking for you. Listen - can I talk to you for a sec? It's about, uh, praetor stuff."

"I'll be there," Reyna called back.

"So, well, see ya," Piper mumbled as she got up.

"It was great talking to you," Reyna told her warmly, and a smile formed on Piper's face.

"Same," she admitted softly before nodding to Percy and hiking away.

"I'm surprised," Percy commented as they walked towards the borders and back to the principia.

Reyna raised her eyebrows. "What are you surprised at?"

"I dunno." Percy grinned. "Seemed kinda odd to me that you'd be talking and laughing with a _graecus_. Plus, you're out of uniform."

"Percy Jackson," Reyna tried not to smile, "if you were not my fellow praetor, Jupiter help me -"

"That's just what I wanted to talk to you about. Jason Grace - this is his job. I took the offer because I wanted to help you save the camp, but he's back now, so…"

Reyna was silent.

"Um, yeah. Just an idea."

"I'll have to think it over, Percy. But I appreciate your willingness to hand back the post. You Greeks…" she shook her head bewilderedly. "I don't understand how you can give things back so easily."

"It can be a good thing sometimes." Reyna turned to see a blonde girl at Percy's side.

"Annabeth! Uh, we're kind of doing some, um, serious discussion here," Percy said, but he couldn't seem to keep a grin off his face.

"I just thought it'd be nice to say hi," she arched her eyebrows. "I was actually on my way to the Forum to get something."

"Now you," Reyna appraised her. "You're quite different. You'd make a good Roman."

"A _good_ Roman, as opposed to a bad one? I'll take that as a compliment," Annabeth smirked. "See you later."

"Is that her?" Reyna asked Percy for the sake of being polite.

"Yeah."

She caught the expression on his face and sealed it away in her mind. Maybe Jason would look at her like that one day? Then with a start she realized he already did.

Eight months ago she cursed Greeks without mercy. But now they had given her more than everything back: Jason, and actual friends besides backstabbing buddies like Octavian. Maybe the old could still teach new tricks.

"Want to borrow Skippy tonight for the war games?" She offered. "I'll make you ref."

"Oh man, I haven't ridden a pegasus in…" Percy's smile was huge. "Sure thing. But I don't want to be a ref, though. Frank needs me."

"Mm, no. I think your girlfriend alone will be quite sufficient help to the Fifth Cohort for one night."

Percy's eyes lit up. "You're putting Annabeth in the Fifth?"

"I think it would be dangerous if she were against you," Reyna teased.

"Whatever," Percy grumbled. "Now I've got two girls who love kicking my butt."

"Believe me, I know. Why else did I put her in the same cohort as you, Percy? I'm _protecting_ you."

Percy groaned. "This job drains me. Can you please give it back to Jason?"

"I think I will."

"Say what?"

"I think I'll give it back to Jason."

"YES!" Percy cheered. Then he grimaced. "I mean, uh, thanks. It was great being praetor - er, you were really kind to offer…"

"Save it, Jackson." Reyna couldn't believe she could smile so much in one day. "I'll be glad to relieve you."

"Thanks a lot!"

"You're welcome."

Percy pouted. "I'm gonna catch up with Annabeth. See you."

"Don't forget to send the cloak for dry cleaning before returning it!"

"Jeez, Reyna, quit rubbing it in!"

Reyna laughed and trudged down to the borders by herself. A sunset was beginning to form, and the glow silhouetted her as she walked straight off into it, purple cape billowing.


	2. PLEASE READ

Hello everyone. I hate to have to do this but – FF and I are done. I've been mulling over this for a long time so rest assured it's not a decision I made rashly. FF took down one of my most harmless K rated PJO fics (a multichaptered one at that, thanks a lot), and I do not want it to happen again – especially not to Fragility and Mockingjay Wings, whose reviews pages hold some of the most amazing, heartwarming, kind words people could find it in their hearts to write to unexciting ol' me. I treasure every review, and nothing would be worse than to see them gone forever (and don't get me started on the wonderful PJO reviewers as well. Their praise cheered me on to even attempt a HG fic).

However, I _will _be at tumblr – **interruptedcadences**. And as long as you follow me I can promise you that there'll be the epilogue to Fragility and Mockingjay Wings as well as the new AU, and... who knows? There are always new fandoms to drown in and never come out of again, huh? I'm not done writing, that's for sure – and it's thanks to anyone who's ever reviewed and given me the courage to go on.

Of course I can't go there without saying thanks to FF itself. Thank you, FF, for everything. I'll miss you. To the awesome reviewers who haven't received replies from me yet (both on F&MW and The Forge And The Dove), look out for one any day now! I hate that I've let your wonderful encouragement gone unthanked.

Once again – **interruptedcadences**! No promises as to the speed of my updating (you all know me, don't you...). That said, see you all there! xx


End file.
